By Jeff Wiehe of Fort Wayne Magazine

We dare you. Just one bite. One little stab with your fork – make sure you get a good amount of that fried egg along with the bulgoki beef, bean sprouts, cucumbers, daikon radish, cabbage, carrots and celery and – and stop there.

Can you do it?

We bet not. Not by a long shot you can’t.

That’s how good a bibimbap with hot stone bowl – the ingredients cook themselves in the hot bowl – is at Shoccu, the new Asian fusion restaurant nestled next to the Max Fitness at Shorewood Shops right off Illinois Road near Scott Road.

Specializing in sushi and Korean dishes, Shoccu was created and opened by Mike Lee, the owner of Naked Tchopstix at the Coventry exit off of Interstate 69. With globe-style lamps, light wood and drop ceilings, the interior is less upscale than Naked Tchopstix but still inviting.

“We wanted it to be nice, a good place for a business meeting or a family outing,” manager Phoenix Goad said.

And while the food is delicious, Goad said the restaurant stresses the need for it to look great, as well.

An open kitchen gives patrons a glimpse into how what they’re eating gets made, and the light wood gives the restaurant a sleek and modern feel. If you’re into presentation, the specialty Playboy Roll – with shrimp tempura, asparagus, spicy tuna mix, tempura chips and three specialty sauces – is wrapped in tinfoil lit on fire using Everclear before serving.

Of course there is the normal fare you might find at a sushi restaurant, with delightful nigiri, sashimi and sushi rolls as well as noodle dishes galore.

“Our noodles are more Korean style, which are crunchier,” Goad said.

Being located next to a gym has been a bit of a boon for Shoccu, according to Goad. Those of the health-conscious variety are getting takeout after a hard workout, he said, and sushi can be a healthy choice.

The restaurant also includes craft beer and drinks as well as dessert – including cheesecake.

Service is paramount at the restaurant, Goad said. The owner is there many weekend evenings as well as during the week, bowing to people who come and making sure everyone is comfortable and having a nice time.

Servers, clad all in black as in a more formal restaurant, are trained to be attentive to everyone’s needs.

“We want people to feel they’re welcome back,” Goad said.

With a variety of beef, shrimp and chicken dishes – you can throw almost any type of meat you want into the hot stone bowl – it’s hard to not see people coming back to Shoccu. Even if they don’t know exactly what the name means.